Civil War

Biography of Samuel Walker

Samuel Walker, for nearly forty years one of the most stirring figures in the military and civil commotions which centered in the Lawrence region, was a Pennsylvanian, born in Franklin County, October 19, 1822. In 1848 he moved to Ohio and followed his trade as a cabinet maker, and in April, 1855, settled permanently in Kansas. He came with a large party of emigrants and located near Lawrence, with other pronounced free-soil settlers. About six weeks later he was urged by the sheriff of Douglas County to leave the country, but his answer was made the next day, in the … Read more

Biography of Lauren Newell

For more than thirty years Zeandale Township, Riley County, had been the chosen home of Lauren Newell, an old pioneer of this section and an honored veteran of the Civil war. Mr. Newell came to Kansas a youth of nineteen years, in search of material independence, and had done much in the way of making easier the paths of those who came later. After the close of the Civil war settlement in Kansas was rapid, but few found so much hardship as had faced young and old when they reached here in 1858. In his New England home Mr. Newell, … Read more

Biography of Jesse White

A widely known and universally esteemed citizen of Riley County, a retired farmer living in great comfort in the pleasant Town of Riley, is Jesse White, an honored veteran of the Civil war. For almost sixty years his home had been in the Sunflower State and he had done his part in aiding in its agricultural, religious and educational progrees. He was born July 10, 1844, in Jackson County, Indiana. His parents were Jesse and Naney (Kinlon) White. From their native state, North Carolina, the parents of Jesse White removed to Indiaua in 1842, and thence to Kansas, arriving at … Read more

Biography of Col. James Montgomery

Col. James Montgomery, one of the free-state leaders in Kansas and an officer in the Civil war, was a native of Ashtabula County, where he was born in 1814, and was a cousin of the hero of Quebec. In 1837 he went to Kentucky, where he taught school. He moved to Pike County, Missouri, with his family, in 1852, and a year later located in Jackson County in order to be ready to enter Kansas as soon as the territory was organized and the lands opened to settlement. Some of his friends, among whom was Doctor Thornton, knowing him to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gen. James G. Blunt

Gen. James G. Blunt was a brave and able soldier, albeit never recognized as a brilliant man of civil affairs. He was born in Hancock County, Maine, in 1826, and until his fourteenth year lived on his father’s farm. Running away from home, he was a sailor for four years and then studied medicine. In February, 1849, he graduated from the Starling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, and in the following January located at New Madison, Ohio, where he practiced his profession until late in 1856, when he removed to Kansas and settled in Anderson County. He quickly became an … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Col. John Fraser

Col. John Fraser, second chancellor of the University of Kansas and state superintendent of public instruction, earned his military title and became widely known as an educator, while a citizen of Pennsylvania. He was born in Cromarty, Scotland, about 1823; graduated with high mathematical honors from the University of Aberdeen and thereafter spent several years in the Bermudas as a teacher. Coming to the States he conducted several private schools in New York and Pennsylvania, and then held the chair of mathematies at Jefferson College for seven years from 1855, during which period he raised money for the first telescope … Read more

Biography of Patrick H. Coney

In many ways the State of Kansas during the last half century had had no more interesting, patriotic, versatile figure than Patrick H. Coney of Topeka. He came to Kansas after making a brilliant record as a soldier in the Civil war. He had been extremely successful as a business man, and his interests as a business man have extended over a wide and diversified field. No man in the country had exhibited a more intense loyalty and devotion to the welfare of the veterans of the great struggle between the North and the South. Mr. Coney is a lawyer, … Read more

Biography of Col. Horack L. Moore

Col. Horack L. Moore, of Lawrence, had seen valiant service as a soldier of the Civil war and in after campaigns against the hostile Indians of the West. He had also been a successful business man and banker, had served a term in Congress and is still a local leader in substantial and beneficial enterprises. He is a native of Ohio, born at Mantua, February 25, 1837, and received his higher edueation at the Western Reserve Electric Institute, at Hiram, Ohio. In 1858 he moved to Kansas with his brother Francis, who died a mouth after their arrival in Atchison … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Judge John Guthrie

Judge John Guthrie, during the forty years of his residence at Topeka, was recognized as one of the leading men in professional, public and scholarly circles, in the State of Kansas. Previously, he had been known as a successful criminal lawyer of Indiana and an honorable officer of the Civil war. He was born in Switzerland County, that state, in July, 1829; was admitted to the bar in 1857, and served as a private and the captain of Company D, Forty-sixth Indiana Infantry, from the beginning of the war until the breaking of his health in 1862. In May, 1865, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edwin C. Manning

Edwin C. Manning, the founder of Winfield, the organizer of the County of Cowley, one of the early editors of the state and thirty or forty years ago a republican leader of Kansas, was born in Redford, Clinton County, New York, November 7, 1838. He was educated both in Vermont and Iowa, taught school at an early age, at the age of nineteen commenced to learn the printer’s trade and in 1859, then about of age, was among the first to start for the Pike’s Peak region in search of gold. He returned a disillusioned young man, but became interested … Read more

Biography of Cyrus K. Holliday

Cyrus K. Holliday was one of the founders of Topeka, in which, for many years, he was the largest taxpayer; projected and built the first portion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad; was one of the organizers of the republican party in Kansas, and an all-around promoter of great enterprises. Born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1826, he was educated for the legal profession, but decided in early manhood in favor of a business life. His first venture was the building of a short line of railroad in his native state, in which he accumulated some $20,000, which … Read more

Biography of Edward Secrest

While his hundreds of well wishers and admiring friends in Riley County speak— as they often do—of Mr. Edward Seerest, they seldom use his full name, but a term of more significance and affection–simply “Uncle Ed.” In a country where titles of nobility are forbidden, there is more of genuine honor and esteem accompanying these words than are signified in the more august titles so prevalent in the undemocratic comtries across the sea. There have been several enechal events in the career of this honored pioneer settler of Riley County. The first came when he was fourteen years of age. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Scott Kelsey

Scott Kelsey, the eldest son of Dandridge and Mercy (Laycock) Kelsey, was born in Dearborn County, Indiana, July 1, 1847. He was reared to manhood there and attended the district schools. In August, 1864, he enlisted in the United States navy for service in the Civil war and was assigned to duty in the Mississippi Squadron. At various times previously he had sought to enlist, but owing to his youth had been refused. During his term of service he was. engaged mainly in patrol work on the Mississippi, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and participated in both the battles at Nashville … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John T. Burris, Col.

Col. John T. Burris, who was born in Butler County, Ohio, in December, 1828, spent his boyhood and youth in Kentucky. He went to Iowa in 1847, served in the Mexican war from that state, cultivated a farm for several years which he obtained on a soldier’s land warrant, and in 1852 sold his land and opened a hotel at Fredonia on the Iowa River. Soon afterward he commenced the study of law, was admitted to the bar in 1853, two years later was elected judge of the County Court and in 1858 settled at Olathe, Kansas. Colonel Burris was … Read more

Biography of Boyd Elias Pollom

The men who came to Shawnee County in 1871 were of necessity patient plodders, content to await the rewards of a developing civilization. There were no short cuts to fortune such as fired the zeal of the argonauts of ’49, but there existed sane and practical opportunities for the man to whom labor was a beneflcent and necessary festure of his existence. To such a class belonged William Pollom, father of Boyd Elias Pollom, the latter one of the successful agrienlturists and substantial citizens of the vicinity of North Topeka. William Pollom was born in Ohio, in 1838, a son … Read more

Biography of Robert Pugh

One of the valuable acquisitions to the citizenship of Shawnee County was made about the close of the Civil war when Robert Pugh came to Kansas and became one of the pioneer homesteadors in Topeka and Tecumseh Township. During his active lifetime Robert Pugh developed a splendid estate as a farmer, and the qualities of his enterpriss descended to his only son living, Burton H. Pugh, who for many years had been one of the leading factors in the potato industry of the Kaw Valley. A native of Preble County, Ohio, Robert Pugh was born January 26. 1830, a son … Read more

Biography of Edward Payson Allen

One of the most conspicuous figures in the financial and civic life of Southern Kansas was removed with the death of Edward Payson Allen at his home in Independence, November 27, 1915. He had already passed the age of three score and ten and with many ripe achievements to his credit and with the honorable associations of a long and useful life he went to his reward. He was a Civil war veteran, a pioneer in Montgomery County, Kansas, had filled public offices and had long borne the responsibilities of managing one of the largest banks in the state. His … Read more

Biography of Joseph Little Bristow, Hon.

No Kansan in recent years has rendered such distinguished public service to the nation at large as former Senator Bristow, now chairman of the State Public Utilities Commission. Mr. Bristow had been a resident of Kansas since he was twelve years old. From his father, who was a Methodist minister of the old type, he inherited a courage of eonvictions, a determined animosity to all public and private dishonesty, and his own life on the Kansas prairies had developed in him a zeal for popular rights and liberties and a fearless statesmanship equally removed from radicalism and reaction. For six … Read more

Biography of Andrew Arnold

One of the old and substantial business houses of Topeka is that now conducted under the style of Arnold Drug Company, an establishment which had been operated by father and son. This business was founded nearly forty-seven years ago by the late Andrew Arnold, who same here as a poor young man and subsequently advanced to a substantial position in business circles and to a leading place in civic affairs. Andrew J. Arnold was born in 1845, at Columbus, the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, a son of Ephraim Arnold, whe was a pioneer of Indiana and prominent in … Read more

Biography of John G. Haskell

John G. Haskell, who made a reputation both as a soldier and an architect, was born in Chittenden County, Vermont, February 5, 1832, and was educated at Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. In 1855 he entered an architect’s office in Boston, and two years later settled at Lawrence, Kansas. During the Civil war Captain Haskell served as assistant quartermaster general of Kansas, as quartermaster of the Third Kansas and the Tenth Kansas Volunteers, as captain and assistant quartermaster on the staff of Gen. James G. Blunt, and chief quartermaster of the Army of the Frontier. … Read more